Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Comparing treadmills is not an easy job as there is a great number to choose from. Some look very smart, others work very well, while there are a few that are a rare combination of style and performance. And then there is the affordability question. Not everyone can afford the treadmill s/he fancies.

And all this buying treadmill-talk boils down to “having the best one, one could have within one’s financial bracket.” The difficulty throughout is to decide the criteria on which to judge the treadmills. That could be a real task. I have identified 5 most important criteria to home in a good treadmill. Here is the list:

1. Cushioning
By cushioning we mean the capacity of the treadmill to absorb the pounding that you would give it during your workout. The belt and the deck of the treadmill must be tough and sturdy. The stronger the two, the better is the treadmill.

2. Stability
Stability is another important factor to be considered. One must consider how smooth the ride is. It should not be a jiggle or wobble, but must stand firm.

3. Accuracy
A treadmill must also be judged with respect to the accuracy of the actual distance covered. The more accurate the reading, the better is the machine.

4. Noise Factor
Next comes the noise factor. A treadmill should be the least noisy one. It should work soundlessly under your feet.

5. Warranty
The above list cannot be completed without adding the warranty factor. You need to take note of the warranty, machine is coming with. One should also consider the after-sales services in order to ensure that if something goes wrong with the machine, it is taken care of promptly and conveniently at home itself. Choose the machine manufactured by a company that has a help line to contact in case of trouble with the treadmill. Also, find out if the machine comes with a warranty covering the parts of the machine, especially the motor, which happens to be the most expensive part.

Once you have made comparisons on the basis of the criteria mentioned above, you would surely choose the best treadmill in the market. That too, within your budget!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

As a person ages, he tends to fall in the trap of certain diseases and disorders. The most common of all the disorders is high blood pressure or hypertension. High blood pressure or hypertension is termed as a lifestyle disease, meaning the unhealthy lifestyles are the biggest culprit for this disease.

Changing lifestyle patterns and increasing stress and tension in everyday life has brought down the normal life expectancy rate of a man. So, it becomes very important for everyone- be it a 30+ or 50+ lot- to diagnose the level of blood pressure regularly. The periodic blood pressure readings help you administer your health condition well on time and avoid further degeneration of your body.

Herein, you should know that just a single reading of your blood pressure won’t help you in diagnosing your high blood pressure problem correctly. A minimum of three readings, a day is important to diagnose the extent of your high blood pressure suffering.

Besides this, there are several other ways by which you can diagnose your hypertension. The record of your family history is one of the best ways of diagnosing high blood pressure. A person’s family history provides crucial clues. A whole physical examination of the patient’s body can also be an evidential support for diagnosing hypertension and the related disorders.

Apart from them, there are several tests that are a sure shot method to diagnose the presence of high blood pressure. One of the most commonly done tests includes Electrocardiogram or ECG. ECG includes a plethora of tests. They are insulin test, urine test, blood cell count, cholesterol test, blood composition test and lipoprotein test.

If your hypertension problem is more severe, then you need to undergo a much higher level of diagnosis. In such cases the most common test that is performed is Renal scintigraphy. Coupled with it, the Ambulatory blood pressure is also monitored in the patient.

At times, acute high blood pressure can instigate chest pain in the patient. So the best way to diagnose the effect that high blood pressure is causing on the chest is through x-ray.

There is set of other less conventional tests as well which can be followed while diagnosing high blood pressure and the related problems. You can get these tests done with the help of a naturopathic physician. The name of some of these test are urine testing, test for levels of stress hormones (adrenal) in the body, test for allergies and sensitivities with WBC count.

All these tests done on time can save you from the more aggravated effects of high blood pressure.